Battle of the Heroes
by thevowellster
Summary: Emotionally shattered, Deku believes the only one who can do what is necessary is him. A small band of heroes step up to stop him while.
1. Prologue

"Midoriya my boy," Toshinori stared at the building as it collapsed in a thunderous roar. "What have you done?"

The screams started shortly after that. He could only just hear them over the crackle of fire and the rumble of rubble. So many people screamed for a hero, for someone to come and save them. But his feet were glued to the ground. A whistle moved him to action as a tank flew through the air and exploded in heat and fire. He didn't remember his suit being this heavy the last time he'd worn it, the armor that was supposed to protect him just helped to wear him out faster now.

There was a crack of gunfire, short and staccato, then the thunder of a shot from a tank. As he huffed and puffed he knew their effort was useless. They'd never been able to touch him in his hay-day and Midoriya had surpassed that long ago. Another whistle and explosion as his once protege recklessly tossed the tank aside like a toy. Even this far from the action Toshinori could tell this battle was not going the military's way.

His blood pounded in his ears and drowned out the _thunk_ of his boots on the concrete. The battle moved faster than he could. By the time he'd finally catch up the fight had already left. This battle scene was the same as the others: bullet casings, injured soldiers, and military vehicles that had been pulled apart and used to further terrorize people. One such armored personnel carrier creaked and tumbled from a nearby building.

Although there was something slightly different about this destruction compared to the rest. An incredibly sweet smell permeated the whole area. Which could only mean Bakugo was on the scene. Good. Midoriya's old classmate and current contemporary should at least slow him down. Although Toshinori doubted the Explosion Hero could last in a drawn-out battle with his successor.

"All Might!" The young lady's voice was followed by Uraraka as she descended from the top of a nearby building. "You've got to get somewhere safe. Kacchan and Shoto are trying to lure Deku back to reduce unnecessary damage to the city." She bolted over and tapped several hunks of concrete and military vehicles that had been abandoned. The pieces floated into the air and trailed behind her, a different facet of her power she'd discovered while at UA.

"I can't leave, I need to help young Midoriya!" Toshinori balled his hand into a fist. He couldn't do much, but he had to do this.

Uraraka stopped, "But I thought you'd used the last of your strength at the Kamino Incident."

"I did," Toshinori said. "The last embers of my power have faded, but young Midoriya was my student. My responsibility. And he still is."

"But you don't have a plan?!" She'd amassed quite the following of detritus, like ducklings and their mother. "I don't know what happened, but when I saw them it was all Kacchan and Shoto could do to not be annihilated. He was always strong, but now Deku is on a different level."

The crunch of destruction drew nearer. A wave of heat washed over his body only to be replaced by a blast of cold air. Toshinori knew the younger Todoroki's power had grown since UA, but the sheer output still managed to put him on his heels. Dull thumps of Kacchan's explosions followed, and they were getting closer. There was a sharp whistle and then a crash as the blonde-haired Kacchan was thrown into a building five feet or so away from the two of them. Rocks tumbled down around the young man. With a grunt, Kacchan pulled himself from the rubble, his arm at an ungodly angle.

"What are you doing here old man," Kacchan shouted. "You're just going to get in the way!" Small explosions rumbled from his good hand, silence from the other. He yelled from pain and frustration then flew off like a corkscrew into a building, his trajectory thrown off.

Kacchan climbed out of the hole and dropped to the ground. "DAMNIT! Might as well be worthless now." He grimaced in pain as he tried to set his arm by himself. Tears in his eyes, he stopped. Shoto was now their only chance.

"Let me see what I can do," Toshinori struggled to get to Bakugo.

"And what are you going to do!" He slid down the side of the building and stopped in front of his former idol. "Last I checked you didn't have the power to heal."

"You're right," Toshinori ripped part of his shirt to fashion a crude sling. "But I've still got basic first aid training."

A wave of cold air blew through and left a shimmer of frost. "We don't have long," Shoto said as he slid in on an ice slide. "I managed to trap him in a block of ice, but it won't last long." Bakugo winced as Toshinori tightened the sling. Despite their amazing powers, both heroes had been put to the test. Costumes and armor wrecked, plenty of bruises, Bakugo's broken arm, and from how Shoto's breath came in gasps and winces at least one broken rib. "Uraraka, have you come up with a plan?"

"I might be able to increase his personal gravity enough to incapacitate him. But I don't know what his upper limits are," Uraraka said. "He's just so strong."

"All Might," Shoto said, "does your power have any weaknesses that we can exploit? Especially since I believe he's just using the strength aspect of his quirk."

"No," Toshinori sighed, "and he'll be even stronger than I was in my prime. His strength will be… almost limitless."

Another approaching whistle stopped them. He was coming. They all braced. The ground shook as Deku landed. There were some singe marks on his costume and small flecks of ice from when he'd been trapped. Otherwise, the powerful young man was untouched as his messy, green hair waved in the air as he emerged from his impact crater.

"Young Midoriya, what has happened to you," asked Toshinori.

"I've gotten fed up with all of this," he waved his arms around, "and why is it that you're here All Might? If I should even call you that anymore."

"I have to stop you," Toshinori said. "Stop this madness that's come over you!" It had only been a few years since he'd met Izuku as a small, frail boy who had asked if he could be a hero. Someone who saved people with a smile on his face.

"Madness?" Midoriya spat the words. "No, madness is berating a young boy for helping to stop a serial killer. Madness, is enforcing the rules without a care for who it hurts. Madness, All Might, is thinking the system works when it is tragically broken."

"And this is fixing it?!" Toshinori gestured around him, broken buildings, destroyed vehicles, his injured friends.

"This is just the first step," Deku roared. "Revolution was never pretty."

"And what about your friends? Look at them," Toshinori pointed, "Shoto is barely standing, and Kacchan, your oldest friend and ally, is barely conscious."

"We both know if I actually unleashed my strength, they wouldn't have stood a chance." He paused, "Is that what you think I should do? Actually show what I can do? Tear down this _whole_ country in the blink of an eye?!"

What _is_ this? Toshinori _knew_ what it was… but it had been so long he'd almost forgotten how it felt. He'd sacrificed it, used the last stray embers against All for One. It should be gone, he shouldn't feel it building, growing inside his chest like when he had first received the power.

"I can't let you," Uraraka shouted and threw all the detritus that had been under her control at Deku. He was even surprised for a moment, but he still blew it all away like a mere annoyance. "I won't let you!" Tears streamed down her face as she threw all of her strength into increasing Deku's personal gravity. The concrete cracked and buckled under him as the strain of his weight grew.

"Even you Uraraka," he said, "even you have turned against me!" Deku was a green streak towards the poor girl. Her eyes didn't even have time to widen in shock. And then, Deku's fist decimated the spot where she had once stood. "What… what happened?!"

"There's nothing to fear now, why?" Somehow it had all flooded back in an instant. Everything he had once been, pillar of peace. Symbol of Hope. "Ha ha ha! Because _I _am here!"

"No," mumbled Izuku, "it's not possible. You can't have your power back… it's not _possible!_" He leapt at All Might and was met halfway. The shockwave as All Might stopped him rocked the other three back on their heels.

"Midoriya," a right hook from All Might connected with the young man's chin, "you can still come back from this!" An uppercut to his stomach lifted him off the ground for a brief moment.

"No All Might!" Izuku returned the hook. "Revolution is necessary!" A sharp push followed up by a quick kick to the side. "Like a fire, I will bring new life! New energy."

"All while destroying _everything_ you've stood for," All Might could feel his strength begin to ebb. One for All had not returned to him. Only enough to stop a would-be tyrant. He threw out several quick jabs, all blocked with ease.

"So be it!" Izuku launched into a series of wild haymakers, difficult to block and devastating were they to land. With every duck, every sidestep, All Might could feel the drain on his power.

"Then I will stop you," All Might yelled. "_United! States-_" All Might saw the young man's eyes widen and then throw a crazed punch in a wild attempt to keep him at bay. And he saw the young man as he had been, so innocent, so full of hope and courage. All Might reached out, his right hand grabbed onto Izuku's right wrist and drove his left hand into the boy's elbow. He heard the snap of bone. All Might continued to rotate his body and drove the young man who was supposed to replace him as the Symbol of Peace, as Earth's greatest, into the ground with a crash.

"I'm so sorry, Midoriya my boy."


	2. Chapter One: Point of Divergence

Chapter One: Point of Divergence

_Eight years before Izuku's fall..._

"Hey guys," Ochaco said, "can you come outside for a second? It's really important.

"Sure," Izuku said. "What is it?" They were all still excited from the room competition, even if none of them had actually been in the running to win. No one had to say it out loud, the real reason they'd enjoyed the game. It had allowed them to pretend they were still kids. To go back in time and pretend that the last week had only been a nightmare. Because in the light of day, when All Might showed up in his weakened state, they couldn't pretend anymore.

"It's Tsu," Ochaco said, "she wants to talk with all of you." Izuku couldn't help but notice how suddenly she'd switched from the enthusiasm during the room challenge to how downcast Ochaco was now.

"Let's go," Kirishima said, "what happened to her earlier? I didn't see her during the competition, I just kind of assumed she went to bed like Bakugo had."

They could all see the Rainy Season hero outside in a pool of yellow light that streamed out from the dormitory window. She stood there with her larger hands held up. "Hi Asui," Izuku said, "I mean Tsu. Is everything okay?"

"No," she started. Tears began to roll down her face. "You guys know I'm pretty straightforward, and always speak what's on my mind. Remember what I said, back at the hospital? That going after Bakugo would break the rules, and you'd be the same as villains. Tsu took a long breath and her whole body shuddered as it was wracked with a new wave of tears. "Despite my warning you still went out and saved Bakugo with no plan. You were ready to break the law, to become villains yourselves! But luckily, everything worked out and you were all able to come back to us. I'm so sorry, I just don't want you to hate me, I want things to go back to how they were!"

"Oh Tsu," Yaoyorozu said, "I'm so sorry!"

"Yeah," both Iida and Kirishima said, "we didn't want to make you feel this way."

Izuku started to open his mouth, but nothing came out. He couldn't. His fist clenched. "No." It was little more than a whisper, but somehow it stopped everyone. They all paused and looked at him, mouths wide. "No, just because we used our quirks it doesn't make us like villains."

"But Izuku," Asui started, "using our quirks to hurt people without a license is against the law!" Fresh tears started up on her face.

"We didn't go out to hurt innocent people," Izuku said, "we went to save someone!" The glares he received her ice, even from Todoroki, who he had felt would be the most on his side.

"Izuku," Todoroki said, "we didn't use our _powers_ because Iida said he would stop you, stop us. You know had he not been there we would have joined the fight in an instant to help All Might."

"And maybe if we had…" Izuku had to take a deep breath to steady himself. "If we had gone out and used our abilities All Might would still have his power! He took several huge attacks with no guard while _I _came up with a plan. Kacchan could have died at any point, he was fighting villains by himself that pro-heroes struggled against."

"Izuku," Iida said, "I couldn't let you fall victim to the same trap that I did. The trap that you and Todoroki pulled _me_ out of." He held up his injured arm, scars still a violent red.

"What trap," Ochaco asked.

"Izuku and Todoroki rescued me," Iida said, "when I went to try and avenge my brother."

"The Hero Killer," Yaoyorozo said. "You three were there when Endeavor stopped him?"

"Ah man!" Kirishima sighed, "that would have been incredible to see."

"We used our power to save you too then Iida," Izuku said. "Even now you still don't understand! I didn't go into that alleyway for revenge or fame like you did. I went to help people. Todoroki understood and that's why he's been at my side both times. Kirishima went this time to rescue his friend, not to get revenge on the people that took him. But the only reason _you_ went was to keep us from using our quirks. All this time, looking up to your brother and in the hero course and you haven't figured out what being a hero _actually_ means." Izuku shook his head and walked away. Ochaco raised her hand as if she meant to stop him, but didn't say anything. They were all quiet as he walked up the steps and went inside.

In his room Izuku tossed and turned. The clock read 2:45. If he wanted to be awake for classes in the morning he needed sleep. But it just wouldn't come. With a groan he sat up and kicked his feet over the edge. There wasn't a lot for him to do this early, but he'd discovered a weight room on the first floor of the basement this morning during the competition. Might as well break it in. He threw on shorts and a shirt. There were snores from the rest of the rooms on his floor as he descended.

The light's of the weight room blinded Izuku as he flipped the lights on. Whenever he worked out at home he'd just use dumb bells and curl, but now he was almost lost in the many options they provided here. Bench press! It was something he could never really do at home so now would be as good a time as any. He put some weights on the bar and secured them so they couldn't accidentally wiggle off. It looked good, Shoji had put up nearly as much weight when they'd first started, so Izuku wasn't worried.

He laid down and put his hands on the bar and felt the cool metal, the faint abrasiveness of the handholds. A deep breath brought the massive weight off the rack-and onto his chest! Only a gasp escaped as his arms struggled to push the weight off. He couldn't move it! "Help," he tried to squeak out. Was this how he would die? Not by a villain but an overestimation of how strong he was!? His legs kicked in a futile effort.

The door to the room opened. "I wondered who would be up so early in here. Of course it would be you Midoriya," It was Aizawa. A trickle of blood slid down the side of his head and his clothes were matted and frayed. One of his eyes appeared to be swollen from where he'd taken a punch. Had he been out on hero duty? Their teacher was always tired from class but the class just assumed he had adopted the "aloof master" method of teaching. But no, he was so tired from hero work during the night! Izuku hated himself a little, even as the air was squeezed out of his lungs, he still couldn't stop himself from analyzing a situation.

"Put too much weight on?" All the teacher got as an answer was air. "Maybe you should take this as a lesson to always have a spotter." Izuku struggled more under the weight as he could see the tinges of darkness at the corners of his vision. "You're still turning your quirk on and off. You know the rest of us always have our quirk active? We don't have to think about it because it's always there. So, why isn't your quirk active?!"

Izuku's eyes widened. Why _wasn't _he using One for All constantly? After all, All Might used his power all the time when he did hero work, not just when he needed it. Izuku focused, he felt power course through and suffuse him. Five percent should be enough to get the weight off his chest. Sure enough, he felt it become light and he was able to push the weight all the way up and rack it. He let out a sigh and released his hold on One for All.

"No!" Aizawa stared at him, "I said to have your quirk active _all the time_. Your power won't grow if you never train it."

"But I can't use Al-" Izuku stopped, "my quirk without it destroying my body. I have to get stronger if I want to be able to channel more of it."

"You train your body so it's strong enough, yes," Aizawa said and stood up, "but if you channel your quirk _while _exercising your body, both should get stronger."

"Exercise my body," Izuku was stunned, "_and_ my quirk?"

"You haven't noticed that your body has gotten stronger since you began to develop your shoot style," Aizawa asked him.

Izuku's eyes widened, "You're right!" The young man laid back, closed his eyes then picked up the weight as though it were a feather. Several reps and he stopped, "Mr. Aizawa, if I channel only as much of my quirk as I can handle and lift more weight, it should hurt my body right?"

Aizawa's smile widened, "Now you're thinking."

"Thank you Mr. Aizawa!" The young man was a blur as he stacked more and more weight onto the bench.

This kid! Aizawa left without a sound.


	3. Chapter Two: A Different Step

Chapter Two: A Different Step

The classroom was full of its usual chatter. Bakugo shouted across the room at someone who dared call him out. Yaoyorozu chatted with her neighbor while Mineta stared from the back of the classroom. And then something cut through the din of the classroom-Midoriya's snoring. Nobody else noticed, it's not like exhaustion naps were unusual at UA. Hell, even Aizawa probably wouldn't have paid it a second thought had he not had a conversation with the boy early this morning.

"Somebody wake Midoriya," Aizawa mumbled. "He should probably be awake to hear this." Iida shook the boy awake, Midoriya seemed shocked at the fact that he'd nodded off but shook out of it. "Now that everyone is with us," a few chuckles from the class started to squeak out but Aizawa shut them down with a glare, "we need to have a talk. The intent of the Summer Camp was to try and get another semester of training worked in. That didn't work out though."

Everybody was quiet. They didn't need reminders of the summer camp. Some had only recently gotten out of the hospital and from their actions, it was clear many were still dealing with the trauma of a much more orchestrated villain encounter than they'd survived in the USJ. Bakugo, Midoriya, and Yaoyorozu seemed to have been the most affected in Aizawa's opinion. Bakugo seemed just as aggressive as ever but more aware of where others were in relation to himself. Midoriya was so caught up in self-loathing that all he could think about was growing stronger. Yaoyorozu though… she was unusual. Her and another student from Class 1-B had been pursued by a Nomu that brandished a variety of chainsaws, something that would have terrified even veteran heroes. Yet she was more confident now than ever. Although Aizawa had noticed her begin to sweat at loud noises. He'd have to talk with her later, she definitely needed to see a counselor to talk it through.

"And after talking with Principal Nezu we've decided to continue with our original plan." It wasn't a decision _he _agreed with, but he couldn't deny the logic. With All Might gone there had already been a rise in crime. Most people had the hope that it could just be a simple numbers game. That more heroes meant safer streets. "In the next several days all of you will take the Provisional Hero Licensing exams."

"What's that mean," Kaminari asked.

"It means, if you pass, that you'll be able to use your quirks in emergency situations," Aizawa said.

The class burst into a buzz of excited voices. A few guessed, correctly, how much it might have changed the outcome of that night if they had been able to help. Especially some like Kirishima who might have been monumental game-changers but were side-lined. Others couldn't help but stare at their desks, they'd followed the rules, been safe, even though earlier involvement might have turned the tide.

"Before you can do that however, you've got to create your Ultimate Moves," Aizawa said.

"But sir," Yaoyorozu's arm shot up. "Our Ultimate Move is a powerful attack that we shout out correct?"

"Yes," Aizawa said. God he hated Ultimate Moves, they just weren't his thing. Far too flashy for his taste. Midnight and Present Mic were _supposed_ to explain them but they were nowhere to be seen, which left him.

"In that case," Yaoyorozu continued. She'd barely even waited for Aizawa's first answer, "Why would we tip our hand and let our enemy know what we're going to do?"

"Trust me," Aizawa said, "I've often asked that question myself, and I was just as confused. Basically, your Ultimate Move should be so powerful, so unrelenting, and so overwhelming that it doesn't matter. Even if they know it's coming your victory with this move is all but guaranteed. Some heroes, like Kamui Woods, have one, devastating attack. His Lacquered Chain Prison overwhelms an opponent so that there is simply no avenue for escape."

"I believe I understand sir," Yaoyorozu said. "But what if the enemy _does_ have a counter?"

Aizawa sighed, it was a legitimate question, but he was ready to move on, "Some heroes do what All Might practised, by having a string of moves, it makes it difficult to predict. Alternatively, you can shout one Ultimate Move and then do another. Now, everybody costume up and head to gym Gamma."

Izuku watched as the gym exploded with activity. Some of his classmates immediately began to work on an Ultimate Move. Others went back to basics and self-evaluated different methods and uses of their quirk they might have overlooked earlier. He could hear Kacchan's explosions, somehow they were even louder than before. A gust of cold air washed over him then a blast of hot air. Todoroki was getting stronger too. _But here I am back to square one! Worse than that even._ He held up his injured arm. _Damnit!_

"What is it Midoriya," Cementoss, one of his teachers asked. "You seem distracted."

"Well it's... " Midoriya paused. "The doctors said if I keep using my arms like I have been I could damage them beyond use."

"Yes," Cementoss said in his slow, ponderous voice. "We've noticed that you've had a penchant for poor imitation of your idol. Only using his Smashes, but nothing else."

Izuku's eyes went wide, "Oh! Yeah yeah yeah suing punches 'Smash' just seemed like the right thing to say…"

"It's a mistake many make," Cementoss said. "They focus so much on All Might's finishing move that they don't notice the rest of his fighting style."

"All Might's fighting style?" Ojiro caught Izuku's attention over the shoulder of Cementoss. The Martial Arts hero struck out of his version of Ectoplasm with a burst of strikes supplemented with a flurry of blows from his tail.

"Yes, All Might was a very talented boxer," Cementoss said. "His strength and speed made him a master of the craft."

"I never thought about it," Izuku said. His eyes were still locked on Ojiro. "How many heroes use martial arts to supplement their quirk?"

"Most of us use some element," Cementoss said. "I've dabbled with wrestling while Aizawa is an adept user of the chain whip and rope dart."

"I guess I've just always focused on people's quirks," Izuku watched as Ojiro spun into a series of kicks.

"Most young heroes do as well," Cementoss said. "They view their quirk as the thing that will give them the victory. You were able to witness this first hand at the USJ when Aizawa managed to fight so many by himself. It was not his mastery of his quirk that allowed him to do so well. Instead, it was his _martial_ skill."

"But Aizawa's quirk allows him to exploit his opponent's reliance on their quirk," Izuku said, "so he doesn't necessarily need to be very skilled at Martial Arts."

"That's not completely true," Cementoss said. "But another example would be the hero Gunhead, I believe one of your friends trained with him for a brief period."

"Yeah," Izuku said, "and she said he uses a fighting style he created that allows him to integrate his quirk."

"You're correct," Cementoss said. "But how did he develop it?" Cementoss turned so they could both watch Ojiro fight. "Similar to your friend, Gunhead is actually a master of several martial arts, one of which is jiu jitsu. Gunhead was able to mold the different styles into something that worked for what he wanted."

"Thank you Mr. Cementoss for the help," Izuku said. He held the glove that protected his injured right arm. What would the adoption of a martial art look like for him? He'd probably have to rethink everything from the ground up, and that included his costume. Bulky gloves, like what he sported now, probably wouldn't be as useful.

"You're more than welcome Midoriya," Cementoss said. "You may even want to consult with Powerloader about some modifications to your equipment."

Izuku waved and began to run off towards the gym exit and paused. _Mr. Cementoss suggested that developing a martial art alongside my quirk would help fill in the gaps in my ability. Ojiro has been training for years, should I go talk with him?_

"Ojiro," Izuku shouted and ran over to the Martial Arts hero who launched into a knee kick against an Ectoplasm clone. "Do you have a second?"

"Mr. Ectoplasm," Ojiro asked. The teacher nodded and stepped away. "What's up Izuku?"

"I was actually hoping," Izuku said, "that you could teach me some martial arts?" Izuku threw a couple of punches at the air followed by a kick.

"Aren't you a heavy hitter though," Ojiro asked. "You do the thing where you bounce around and then get in for a solid punch?"

"I am," Izuku had to pause and correct himself, "well, I was. Ever since my fight with Muscular I have to be more careful with my arms."

"Why do you have to be more careful," Ojiro asked. "I guess I'm a little confused."

"So basically, doing all of those full powered hits that broke my bones," as Izuku made a fist Ojiro could hear the crunch of Izuku's destroyed body, "have made it so that if I take many more injures like that I could lose the ability to use my arms."

"And so you want to practice martial arts with me since it will be less stressful on your body," Ojiro said. "I mean, it makes sense. Hey, would you mind if we walked and talked? I need to talk with Mr. Powerloader about changing my costume up a bit." He looked at Izuku's costume, a Frankenstienian mess of lightweight fabric and bulky armor. "And if you're serious about wanting to practice with me you'll definitely need a change of outfit."

"That would be awesome! Mr. Cementoss said that a lot of pro heroes actually use some form of martial arts to fill in for their quirks," Izuku said as they left the gym.

"Yeah, during the USJ battle that was the only reason I could fight so many villains," Ojiro said. The USJ battle felt like it had been so long ago, their first _real _encounter with villains. Izuku had been so distracted by All Might he hadn't even thought where everyone else had been. "A lot of the villains relied so heavily on their quirks that was able to exploit it."

"I almost forgot," Izuku said. "It feels so long ago now, at the time it felt like all Asui, Mineta, and I could do to survive. Who were you teleported with?"

"Nobody," Ojiro said. "But I was able to skirt around a lot of fights and engage only when I wanted to. Honestly, it could have gone a lot worse than it did."

"The only reason I managed to make it out alive was because of Asui's quick thinking," Izuku said. They'd reached the door to Powerloader's office and he reached for the door handle when it opened. Iida was covered in a sheen of sweat and seemed ready to bolt out of the room. Izuku caught a glimpse of Ochaco behind him. Apparently they'd had the same idea to get their equipment and costumes worked on.

"Ah Midoriya!" Iida had no concept of what an inside voice was. "Ojiro! I see that you had the same idea that Ochaco and I did. Get some work done on your costume to be more efficient!"

"Hi Izuku," Ochaco said, "so what are you after? I wanted to get some modifications to my uniform so I don't get sick as easily."

"Oh, um, I was going to practice some martial arts with Ojiro," he felt like his whole body was a bright red. "And my costume needs some modifications for that."

"That's cool," Ochaco said. "I got to practice a bit with Gunhead but haven't gotten to since. Ojiro, do you think I could practice with you?"

"Yeah, that should be fine," Ojiro said.

"Well Ochaco," Iida belted, "we should get going so they can get what they need! We'll see you at training Midoriya! Ojiro!"

"Bye Deku," Ochaco said.

"Bye Ochaco," Izuku said.


	4. Chapter Three: A Well Deserved Break

Chapter Three: A Well Deserved Break

_Five. _The bar fell and rose. _Six_. Exhale on the way back up. _Seven_. Ochaco looked down at him, a small look of concern dashed across her face. _Eight_. She was the only person he felt comfortable to spot him anymore. _Nine_. Just one more and he'd be done. Izuku took a deep breath. The weight was crushing, even as he used One for All at ten percent. He lowered it slowly and let air into his lungs. Exhale and push back up-it wasn't going! Ochaco stood right there, her quirk at the ready for just such an occasion.

She reached towards the bar, "Do you need help?"

"No!" It was more forceful than he'd intended. The bar started to descend. Maybe he could push himself to eleven percent? Izuku let the additional energy flood his body. Even just the miniscule increase felt like a tidal wave of power. The bar started to push back up- "Help." It was little more than a whisper. Eleven percent put him on a different level, but his body was already exhausted and it just hadn't been enough.

Ochaco touched the barbell and placed it back on the rack. "That was incredible Izuku!" She released her quirk and the weight settled back on with a creak.

Izuku panted, "But I still need to get stronger." He pushed himself up.

"Izuku," Ochaco said and looked at the massive weight that sat on the barbell. "What you're doing is incredible! You're at the max weight on everything in the gym. And then after classes are done you and Ojiro workout for another few hours. What you're doing is incredible."

"I'm just not sure," Izuku stood up, then his legs collapsed under him and he sat back on the bench. He was still channeling One for All, even as he sat completely drained. "I'm just not sure it's enough. I have to get better, the League of Villains is still out there, and they're getting stronger too." Izuku released his hold on One for All. Gravity pushed down on him and he felt like it might grind him into the floor.

"You've only been working like this for seven days," Ochaco sat next to him and took his hand in hers. "Look at how much you've improved!" She tapped his hand and Izuku floated a bit off the ground.

"Thank you," he smiled. "You know Ochaco, ever since we met at the entrance exams I've always-"

The door crashed open, "Hurry up you two or you'll be late for classes! And Midoriya, make sure that you put all those weights back where they belong." Iida hadn't changed, just as uptight as ever. Izuku knew it had only been a week since he'd exploded at the Speed Hero, but he thought maybe _something _would have clicked. "Come on Ochaco," Iida said, "let's get a move on!"

"Actually," she said, "I'm going to stay and help Izuku. We'll meet you at class." Iida seemed stunned, if only for a moment, then nodded and left. She waited for the door to shut, "What were you going to say Deku?"

"Oh, nothing," Izuku went bright red and pushed himself off the bench and nearly crashed into the ceiling.

"Sorry!" Ochaco pressed her fingers together and Izuku dropped back to the ground. "You know, I was thinking about that the other day."

"What's that," Izuku asked and looked at his hand. When they first met he'd freaked out when she'd talked to him, and now Ochaco had _touched _his hand!

"Your hero name, 'Deku.' I thought it was brave how you were able to take an insult, Kacchan always calling you useless, and embrace it." Ochaco began to pull the weights off. Izuku had to admire her, she'd said he worked a lot, but she was right there with him the whole time. And her quirk didn't make it easier like One for All did. She put in honest work. "But you've grown so much _since_ then. Maybe it's time for your hero name to grow too."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about it," he took a weight off the bar. It was heavier than when he used One for All, but Aizawa had been right. As his control and strength with his borrowed quirk grew so did his strength when it wasn't active. And since weightlifting didn't require as much focus he had gone from using his quirk at five percent to a consistent ten percent. And if he pushed to his extreme limits Izuku could even stay at twelve percent, but not for long. His tired muscles strained with exhaustion as he took another weight off the bar and reracked it. After classes him and Ochaco would have their daily practice with Ojiro.

Ojiro had Izuku and Ochaco move through a small variety of katas and focused on styles of combat and submissions that they would experience in the field. They would run through everything for hours, well, maybe not hours but it felt like it! Ojiro beat them over the head with it, '_If you have to think about it, you won't be able to use it! It's got to be who you are.'_ And so they practiced and practiced and practiced and after they practiced they would spar. It required more focus than lifting, but Izuku had been able to bring his control of One for all in a combat scenario from only five percent to eight percent. "Well should we head to class Izuku?" Ochaco brought him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah," Izuku focused and brought up his control of One for All. "Let's go."

"I know the school part of UA is important," Ochaco said, "but I'm always glad when it's over."

"Yeah, and now we can get some hero practice in!" Kirishima pumped his fist in the air.

"I'm so sore from practice lately," Ochaco stretched and winced. "We've been hitting it extra hard the past few days for the licensing exam."

Kirishima nodded in agreement, "Totally, I can barely feel my arms. I could really use a day off."

"I've actually been thinking about that," Ojiro said as he came up behind them. "You guys have been pushing yourselves so hard that you could use a day off for some rest. So I was thinking maybe we could play a game."

"I've got to practice though," Izuku said,. "If I want to improve and become the number one hero I've got to get better." He would love to be able to take a break, but with the licensing exam so close he needed all the practice he could get. This exam would put him on the next step to becoming a real hero, but was he good enough yet? Ojiro had taught them so much, but there was only so much he could learn in ten days. And especially since he had made the decision to take his training in such a different direction from where he'd been going. Martial arts, and the mix of jiu jitsu and jeet kun do, that Ojiro taught them was so intensive he wasn't-

Ojiro tapped him on the forehead, "This is why you need a day off. So your body can recharge and you can shut your brain down."

"Maybe you're right," Izuku said. "We've been practicing so hard and I've been so single-minded…"

Ojiro chuckled, "It's okay. I'll go get my stuff and meet you guys in the living room."

"What are you all doing," Shoto asked as he walked into the living room."

"Ojiro has a game he wants us to play," Ochaco told him. "That way we can relax and let our minds recharge."

"Ah," Shoto nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. Do you think… I could join?"

"Of course," Ojiro said as he walked back in, "the more the merrier!"

"So how do we play," Ochaco asked as Ojiro handed out some paper and dice.

"Well," Ojrio said, "it's really simple, you just have to use your imagination."

_We'll start with you Izuku, do you have a name for your character?_

"Deku? Will that work?" Deku stood in his small house and strapped the sword to his waist. Today he set out on the first step of his journey: to become the world's greatest hero!

_Really digging deep there aren't you…_

Outside the sun is warm and there are three people waiting for Deku in the front yard. No one has gotten to know each other yet, but they're all her for one purpose: adventure.

_So were the rest of you able to come up with some names?_

"Hello Deku, I am the human sorcerer known as Shoto," Shoto said.

"And I'm… Kirishima?" He said. _Are we just using our actual names? It might be easier._

"So I guess that makes me Ochaco," she said. _And not Diana of the Woods_.

"Are you guys ready to head out," Deku asked. "There's a town not too far from here, we should be able to find work there."

"Well let's head out then! I'm so pumped for this," Kirishima bounced with energy.

"Yes," Shoto said, "we should be able to encounter plenty of enemies and gain experience. It sounds like a solid plan."

The deep forest beckoned to the small group as it drew them in. From within they could hear the sounds of birds, squirrels, and… other creatures. Big creatures. Dangerous creatures. Wind moved through the trees and rusted the branches. A loud roar echoed out and shook the party.

"Are you guys sure that's the way we should go," Ochaco asked. "It seems a little much."

"We should be fine Uraraka," Kirishima said. "Besides, we're heroes. If we don't clear that forest of baddies, no one will."

"I know but… I really don't like spiders and I'm pretty sure there's a lot in there," Ochaco said.

"That's fine," Deku said. "We're a team, we've all got each others backs."

"Thanks," she said and gripped her staff. It pulsed faintly with a magical glow. "You're always really good at knowing what to say to make me feel better."

"Are you ready to go in now," Shoto asked. "The sooner that we start this journey means the sooner we make it to the city. And once we're there, we can begin to take jobs that will really make a difference to people."

The forest was dense and only grew more so the further they went in. Ominous sounds surrounded them from all corners. The gentle sounds of the forest, the crickets and birds had faded. Now they could hear the howl of wolves and snarl of bears. Just as plentiful were all the animal noises they _couldn't_ identify.

"Okay," Kirishima said, "I know I was trying to sound all touch and strong earlier but I really don't want to die in this place."

"Kirishima, you were the one that talked me into this," Ochaco said. "You can't back out now." The forest had grown far more dense the further they'd walked. Now it was so dark they had begun to trip over exposed roots and rocks. "Guys, I can't see a thing anymore. Todoroki, do you think you could use some of your fire to light things up?"

"I suppose I could," Shoto said. "But as a wizard don't you have access to similar spells?"

Ochaco blushed, "I'm sorry, I forgot!" _Sorry guys, I've never really played before._

"That's fine," Shoto said. _This type of game is one of the few my father allowed me to play growing up. He felt it's reliance on statistics and precise number keeping would help me, and that you have to think on your toes. _"Here, I'll just use mine."

A soft, dim flame rose from Todoroki's palm. It flickered and grew brighter. At first they could barely see each other and the light grew until it illuminated the small clearing they were in. And the bones that littered the ground. Ochaco stifled a small squeak as a large bear woke from the bright light and turned to face them. Where it's snout should have been was a vicious beak covered in blood.

"And that's where we'll stop this week guys," Ojiro said as he dragged them kicking and screaming to the real world. "We even still have some time left for practice!"


End file.
